Suburban Floral Association is a collaboration between
MONIQUE REDMOND and TANYA ECCLESTON.

The Suburban Floral Association was
formed in the early development stages of Shopfront, with the idea
that we were planning for future collaboration, projects and
potential opportunities. We envisage staging a number of different
events and projects for as long as we have ideas and interest. This
may involve artists and writers and other interested collaborators,
such as plant enthusiasts, florists, gardeners, markets, etc.

Tanya Eccleston is an artist,
writer and teacher now living in Avondale, New Zealand. Her own
interests as an artist are in working with social contexts and
communities. She has recently immigrated to Auckland from Glasgow,
Scotland where rhododendrons grow wild as weeds in the hills and
no-one would dream of planting one in their front garden. Tanya was
formerly Head of the Sculpture and Environmental Department at the
Glasgow School of Art. Monique Redmond is an
artist and teacher living in Mt Albert, New Zealand. She is
interested in front gardens, flowering trees and blooms that occupy
suburban spaces. The suburban context, its sites, architecture,
planting and gardens are a source for installation and photographic
works that both draw upon and document the lived spaces of her
everyday. She is currently Programme Leader Visual Arts at the
School of Art and Design, AUT University.

"Shopfront is an alternative gardening project
that changes regularly in form - cinema, gallery, seminar space,
front yard and studio - where relationships between flowers and
people change."

Sat 12 March: 2-6pm, Flowers and Foliage
Depot. Bring in whatever you are willing to cut, trim or
prune for us from your garden. Anything that you appreciate, we
will -blooms, foliage, cut flowers, shrubs or trees. 6-9pm,
White Night event - Video screening

Sun 13 March: 4pm, Public talk: Dr Rachel
Carley on ceramics, still life and the floral. Plus
Afternoon tea.

Mon 14 March: 2-8pm, Video screening

Tue 15 March: 7pm, Suburban Floral Association Artists
Talk

Wed 16 March: 6.30pm, Public Talk: Anna Miles on
the invented and imaginary world of flowers on textiles.

Thu 17 March: 2-8pm, Video screening

Fri 18 March: 6-8pm, Flower Arranging Workshop.
Bring along found and foraged flowers, weeds and plant
material, and Lynette Gumm and Priscilla Hunt will show us how
to make a bouquet from whatever we collectively bring.

Sat 19 March: 2-8pm, Video screening. Last day at
Shopfront.

Driveby 3Jan11 - bougainvillea in Sandringham

Shopfrontis a Suburban Floral
Association project commissioned by Letting Space for
the Auckland Arts Festival, March 2011. The project was staged in a
commercial space in Kings Square, Newmarket Railway Station (8-19
March)."Public art programme Letting
Space was initiated in 1994 and revived in Wellington
in 2010 in response to the economic recession. It brings
contemporary art out of the gallery, commissioning leading
contemporary artists to perform and install new work in vacant
commercial properties, transforming relationships between artists,
private property and the often monocultural spaces of the city.
Curated by Mark Amery and Sophie Jerram Letting
Space works to see stronger engagement between
artists, property developers and their city."